


Soulbound

by dragonsFall



Series: Ship Fics [5]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, M/M, Multi, Platonic Soulmates, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Sworn Brothers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:01:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27038392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonsFall/pseuds/dragonsFall
Summary: An exploration of soulmates through the ASL Brothers
Relationships: Fushichou Marco | Phoenix Marco/Masked Deuce, Fushichou Marco | Phoenix Marco/Masked Deuce/Portgas D. Ace, Fushichou Marco | Phoenix Marco/Portgas D. Ace, Koala/Sabo (One Piece), Masked Deuce/Portgas D. Ace, Monkey D. Luffy & Portgas D. Ace & Sabo, Monkey D. Luffy/Trafalgar D. Water Law
Series: Ship Fics [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1894504
Comments: 6
Kudos: 91





	Soulbound

Everyone had a soulmate. Even if they thought they didn’t. They weren’t always related to who they would end up loving. Sometimes they were just a significant friend. Names for the ones that were romantic always appeared on the inside of the wrist. Markings for those that were platonic appeared where they wanted to. Appearing as black blotches until the person was found. There were others for enemies and family but they weren’t as common as the other two. Some people were obsessed with finding them. Others could care less.

Luffy wasn’t very interested in finding the person named Law on his wrist. It was written in a loopy, almost jumbled together text. He was much more interested in the black splotches that trailed down his spine. They were small. His brother's marks were colored in, appearing at the very top of his spine. A top hat and pipe for Sabo. An orange, flaming cowboy hat for Ace. They were right next to each other.

Ace denied ever having anyone other than Sabo and Luffy. The marks for the two appeared on his left forearm. The same top hat that Luffy had for Sabo and a straw hat for Luffy. The other black blotches on his form had yet to fill out. They were scattered rather than focused in one place like Luffy’s. Despite saying that he had no other marks, he had two names on his wrist. One called Marco and one he couldn’t quite make out. The letters were jumbled as if the person didn’t have a name for themselves yet. Marco’s name was almost like chicken scratch, clawed right into his flesh. He kept the names covered up. Why the hell would they love someone like him?

Sabo only ever revealed the two marks of his brothers which were nestled together on his palm. Just below that was a name that read Koala in a neat flowing script. He had a few marks. Not nearly as plentiful as his brothers but they were there. Focused on his right shoulder blade. The blond kept them hidden then it was assumed that he had passed after his little ship was sunk. They mourned for him and for those that must have felt his death too. Those little marks always seemed to let you know when someone died before you could meet them.

<><><><><>

Ace found who the scrambled name belonged to on the island of Sixis just after he had left home for the first time. He had found himself stranded on the island with the currents keeping him trapped. The freckled man had made raft after raft only for it to get smashed. Finding himself trapped on the island once more. It didn’t stop him from trying over and over again then his luck changed for the better. 

He found a blue-haired man on the island talking to the skeleton of a long-dead sailor. Since the man didn’t want to give him a name, Ace decided to give him one. Deuce. And after he had been told to go away, he realized that the jumbled letters on his wrist had sorted themselves out. In a messy, rushed script there was the name he had just given to the man. Then they met again when the other began to get desperate.

They shared a Devil Fruit, one which set Ace ablaze. Together, they built a raft that could get them off the terrible, beautiful island. On their final day before they set off on the Striker, Ace showed Deuce his wrist where the two names were written. The same fear reared its ugly head. Who would love the son of a monster? As it turned out, Deuce would despite his earlier rejection. He bore Ace’s name on his wrist along with this Marco.

They didn’t care if they ever found this Marco person. They had each other and that was enough. Then one by one, the marks on their bodies filled out as they found the rest of the Spades. Ace and Deuce still had each other but now they had friendships. Deuce was still so surprised that he had friends and a soulmate that loved him. The two shared kisses and gentle touches that both had been denied. Moments where they both needed support from each other, moments where they were nothing more than two tangled bodies. Whispered I love yous, compliments when they felt insecure. Deuce scolding Ace as he patched up any injuries he sustained, Ace, rushing in every time someone dared to insult Deuce. Protective of each other.

Even when they found Marco, he was content to leave the two as just a pair. He had long since resigned himself to not finding them at all and they seemed happy together. The blond didn’t want to ruin that. It took a while but Ace and Deuce eventually warmed up to him enough to bring him into their relationship. All three of them were happy together. It was more love than Ace and Deuce had ever had in either of their lives. 

<><><><><>

As he finally made it into the wide blue ocean and started making waves of his own, Luffy found each of his soulmates one by one. His spine became a beautiful painting with how many marks were there. Slowly and steadily filling in with color with each new friend he made. A bandana and glasses for a nervous boy who gained the courage to go for his dream after meeting Luffy. A tangerine and three Berri for his navigator who he had caught a glimpse of as he and Coby fled the cruise ship. Three crossed swords with a bandana binding them for his most loyal companion. A slingshot for his sniper, a friend who he thought he would lose. And a chef's hat with a heart on it for his cook.

There was a mark for each new person he met and made an impact on. There were marks for crewmates he met after entering The Grand Line. It was a wonder how they all fit along his spine. For his doctor, it was cherry blossom petals and different medical supplies. For his shipwright, it was made up of gears and a wrench. A guitar with a whale behind it for his musician. Luffy loved looking at all the colors on his back. They were fascinating! And throughout all his travels, he never found this Law person. Not until he reached Saboady.

They didn’t love each other right away. It took time and working together but the time eventually came where they admitted that they were in love. Luffy’s personality clashed with Laws but they made it work in their own special way. Their relationship was far from perfect but they were happy with each other. Law and Luffy were never interested in finding each other. And yet, they did.

<><><><><>

Sabo couldn’t remember meeting the people two of his marks belonged to. Their names and faces were forever removed from his mind. But he knew he had met them at some point. Their marks were colored in. An orange cowboy hat that was on fire and a simple straw hat. Every time he tried to remember, his head started to ache and he decided it was best to not try and remember. He appreciated the beauty of the marks on his body. Sabo didn’t have that many but he appreciated the ones he did have.

One for each of the Revolutionaries that took him in and raised him into the young man he now was. A two-faced mask and a copy of Dragons tattoo were on his forearm, just mere inches from the marks nestled on his palm. There were five in total. The two on his palm, the two on his forearm, and just one more above that. A paw print for who he had trained with to hone his fighting capabilities. Nestled between these marks was a name. Koala.

They met when they were young, shortly after Sabo had woken up in the infirmary. Since her name was written on his wrist, they had brought her in so they could learn his name. He couldn’t even remember his own name. How pathetic was that? Things were awkward at first. They were just kids after all. What were you supposed to do when you met your soulmate that young? Over time they grew closer, fell in love, and shared their first kiss when they were teenagers. They cared about each other, working together on various missions.

Although he had almost everyone he was bound to, Sabo was still curious about the two marks on his palm. He would spend some nights tracing the marks and the burns that decorated his body. Sleepless nights just feeling and listening to Koalas even breathing as she slept. He didn’t learn who those marks belonged to until he saw their wanted posters side by side. Monkey D. Luffy and Portgas D. Ace. His brothers. His sworn brothers who had no idea that he was still alive. With Koala in tow, he arranged to meet them again soon. Let them know that their brother was  _ alive _ .

<><><><><>

Everyone has someone. Even if they are convinced there is no one in the world for them. They may not be a lover but they may be a friend. Just someone that could be relied on. Even if they weren’t there all the time. You may not meet them today. You may not meet them tomorrow. You may not even meet them a year from now. But there will come a day where you will meet them. No matter how long it takes or the trials you have to go through to reach them. You will meet them.


End file.
